Our Mission

The mission of Potluck Café Society is to transform lives by creating jobs with training for people with barriers to employment and providing healthy food for people living in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside (DTES).

We envision a DTES community where people from diverse backgrounds enjoy a high quality of life with opportunities for employment and self-determination despite obstacles and have access to quality, nutritious food with dignity.

As a non-profit social enterprise and registered charity, Potluck Café Society owns and operates Potluck Café & Catering to create jobs for neighborhood residents with barriers to traditional employment and earn revenue to support its community programs. Fundraising, donations and grants comprise the balance of our funding needs.

Potluck is widely regarded as a social enterprise leader in Vancouver and abroad, and has received a number of awards for its many achievements and success.

About Potluck Cafe Society

Potluck works to improve the quality of life for individuals in the DTES through a cohesive and holistic approach that includes the following 5 programs:

- Jobs with on-the-job training and life skills support for DTES residents with barriers to traditional employment.

- Meal Program that serves thousands and thousands of free, nutritious meals each year to nutritionally vulnerable DTES residents.

- DTES Kitchen Tables Project, led by Potluck Café Society and working in collaboration with residents and community stakeholders, to increase the availability, affordability, and choice of healthy food for DTES residents while creating jobs in the community.

- Community Kitchen where neighborhood residents prepare and enjoy a meal together while learning cooking and nutrition skills in the Potluck Café.

- Knack is an expanding initiative of Potluck Café Society, which connects employers who want to achieve community impact with a labour force that is experiencing barriers to employment.

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